Apparatus and method for processing web material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for processing web material is disclosed. A machine frame includes only one side wall and a pulling group includes a first and a second roll and a carrying framework with a first and a second end plate. The first and second rolls are disposed between the first and second end plates and the first end plate is fixed to the carrying framework and the second end plate is removably attached to the carrying framework. The carrying framework is only attached to the only one side wall of the machine frame by the fixed first end plate. A two-stage throwing-on process of the rolls and a two-stage throwing-off process of the rolls is performed.

This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 10 2005 042 351.5, filed Sep. 7, 2005, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing web material, in particular a folding unit upper part, having a machine frame and having at least one pulling group which is fitted to the machine frame, transports the web material and is provided with rolls which can be driven and thrown onto one another and which are provided with pulling and/or supporting rings that can be accommodated on a continuous shaft.

In the known arrangements of this type, the rolls of the pulling groups are mounted with their two ends in one side wall of a machine frame in each case This leads to comparatively poor accessibility of the rolls, which increases the expenditure on maintenance and overhaul. In this connection, it is specifically to be assumed that the pulling rings of the rolls have comparatively short service lives and have to be replaced frequently, which is difficult in the known arrangements.

On this basis, it is therefore the object of the present invention to improve an apparatus of the type mentioned at the beginning with simple and inexpensive means in such a way that high ease of maintenance and overhaul is achieved.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the machine frame has only one side wall and in that the rolls of the pulling group are accommodated on a carrying framework, which is fitted in a cantilevered manner to an element of the one side wall and which has two end plates which are connected to each other by at least one crossmember and accommodate the rolls and of which one is constructed as a stationary end plate which can be fixed to the adjacent element of the one side wall, and the other end plate can be removed from the carrying framework, the rolls being assigned at least two bearings, spaced apart from each other in the axial direction, in the region of the stationary end plate and being assigned at least one further bearing in the region of the removable end plate.

These measures advantageously permit simple replacement of the pulling and/or supporting rings. For this purpose, only the removable end plates need to be taken off. On account of the dual mounting of the rolls in the region of the stationary end plate, the rolls advantageously remain standing even when the removable end plate is taken off. On account of the dual mounting of the rolls in the region of the stationary end plate, the adjustable roll also remains parallel to itself as it is thrown on and off, even if the actuating devices assigned to the ends of the rolls are not synchronized. It is therefore possible to dispense with complicated synchronization.

Advantageous refinements and expedient developments of the primary measures are further described below.

For example, in the region of its element carrying a pulling group, the one side wall can be provided with a window which is open towards the outside, is assigned to the pulling group and can be covered from the inside by its stationary end plate. This ensures that the outside of the stationary end plate is accessible from outside, which makes the fitting and maintenance of drive and actuating elements, etc., assigned to the rolls easier and, in addition, provides the possibility of placing these elements at least partly within the aforementioned window.

The adjustable roll is expediently accommodated on pivoting levers, a double pivoting lever having two limbs flanking the end plate and each containing a bearing advantageously being provided in the region of the stationary end plate, the limbs being connected to each other by means of a yoke which reaches through an associated passage cut-out in the end plate. The double pivoting lever advantageously needs only one actuating device, by means of which the two limbs each containing a bearing of the associated roll can be moved uniformly.

In a further development of the primary measures of the present invention, during the throwing-on movement, the actuating device assigned to the double pivoting lever can be activated with a slight lead with respect to the actuating device provided in the region of the opposite roll end and vice versa. In this way, care is taken of the bearings.

Further advantageous refinements and expedient developments of the primary measures of the present invention are provided in more detail from the following exemplary description by using the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a folder with an associated folding unit upper part;

FIG. 2 shows a section through the side wall of the folding unit upper part with a plan view of the pulling group fitted thereto;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the pulling group with the end plate remote from the side wall taken off; and

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the pulling group with an actuating device assigned to the pivotable roll.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The basic construction and mode of action of folding devices are known per se and therefore do not require any more detailed explanation in the present connection.

The folding device on which FIG. 1 is based and which is arranged downstream of a press, not specifically illustrated, contains a folder 1, on which a folding unit upper part 2 is placed. The folding unit upper part 2 contains a plurality of folding formers 3, here three folding formers 3 arranged beside one another, for producing a longitudinal fold in each case in the printing material web pulled over them. In order to pull the printing material webs, pulling groups 4 are provided, each of which contains two rolls 5 that can be thrown onto each other. A pulling group 4 is arranged downstream of each folding former 3. Provided at each outlet from the folding unit upper part 2 is a further pulling group 4. In the example illustrated, the folder 1 contains only one cross-cutting and folding unit, to which all the longitudinally folded printing material webs are fed in the form of a pack. Accordingly, only one pulling group 4 on the outlet side is needed. In order to deflect the webs, stationary and/or adjustable deflection rolls 6 can be provided.

The folding unit upper part 2 has only one side wall 7, on which all the elements accommodated thereon are fitted in a cantilevered manner, that is to say fixed on only one side. The folding formers 3 and the peripheral elements assigned to the latter in the form of inlet rolls 8 arranged downstream, together with the associated pulling group 4, can in each case be accommodated on a carriage 9 which can be displaced laterally and is integrated into the side wall 7, that is to say can be fitted to the carriage in a cantilevered manner.

The pulling groups 4, as can best be seen from FIG. 2, each contain an expediently frame-like carrying framework 10 which accommodates the rolls 5 and which, as FIG. 2 further reveals, can be fitted with one end to the one side wall 7 of the folding unit upper part 2 or to a carriage 9 integrated into the side wall 7, so that the result is a cantilevered arrangement projecting from the side wall 7. The carrying framework 10, as can be seen from FIG. 2, has two end plates 11, 12 which are located opposite each other, extend transversely with respect to the axes of the rolls 5 and are connected to one another by at least one crossmember 13 extending parallel to the rolls, by two lateral crossmembers 13 in the example illustrated. The rolls 5 are accommodated with their end regions directly or indirectly on the end plates 11, 12.

The carrying frameworks 10 are fixed to the side wall 7 or to a carriage 9 on the side-wall side with an end plate, in the example illustrated with the left end plate 11. Accordingly, the end plate 11 is designated a stationary end plate, to which the crossmembers 13 can be connected non-detachably. In the example illustrated, the crossmembers 13 are welded to the stationary end plate 11. The respectively opposite end plate 12 is constructed as a removable end plate, which can be detached from the crossmembers 13 and taken off. FIG. 3 shows the end plate 12 in the removed position. The removable end plate 12 is accordingly connected to the crossmembers 13 in a detachable manner, as indicated in FIG. 2 by screws 14. In order to hold the carrying framework 10 on the side wall 7 or a carriage 9 of the side wall 7, screws 15 indicated in FIG. 2 can be provided. This permits detachable fitting.

The rolls 5 each contain a shaft 16 and rings accommodated thereon in the form of lateral pulling rings 17 and supporting rings 18 arranged between them. The shafts 16 can pass through undivided over the entire length. In such a case, the shafts 16 and their bearings can be dismantled from the removable end plate 12. However, it is also conceivable to subdivide the shafts 16 in the region adjacent to the inside of the removable end plate 12. A design of this type is indicated in FIG. 3. In this case, it is not necessary to dismantle the shafts 5 and their bearings from the removable end plate 12. The shaft sections formed by the subdivision can be capable of connection to each other by means of a simple shaft coupling. In the example on which FIG. 3 is based, in the region of the shaft division, a conical arrangement is provided having a conical recess 19 at the end of the one shaft section into which a conical pin 20 of the other shaft section can be pressed. The pressing forces are produced by the fixing of the removable end plate 12 to the crossmembers 13. The conical arrangement also advantageously results in exact centering. For this purpose, the conical arrangement can also be provided in conjunction with a shaft coupling.

In order to ensure that the rolls 5 do not tilt downwards in the event of removal of the removable end plate 12 but remain standing, each shaft 16 is double-mounted in the region of the opposite stationary end plate 11 by means of two bearings 21, 22 and 21 a, 22 a, respectively, distanced from each other in the axial direction. A single mounting using one bearing 23 or 23 a is provided in the region of the removable end plate 12.

As has already been mentioned above, the pulling rings 17 and supporting rings 18 can be accommodated on the shafts 16. The diameter of the supporting rings 18 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pulling rings 17, which can be brought into mutual contact. For this purpose, one roll, the upper roll 5 in FIG. 2, is arranged such that it can be pivoted. Accordingly, the bearings 21, 22, 23 assigned to this roll are accommodated on associated pivoting levers. In this case, the bearings 21, 22 forming a double mounting are assigned a double pivoting lever 24, which can best be seen from FIG. 3. The double pivoting lever 24 contains two limbs 25 which each accommodate a bearing 21 or 22, flank the stationary end plate 11, are pivotably mounted on the latter and, in the region of their ends opposite the pivoting mounting, are connected to each other by a yoke 26, which reaches through an associated passage cut-out 27 in the stationary end plate 11. The passage cut-out 27 is expediently formed as a curved slot, so that the yoke 26 has a sufficient level of freedom to pivot. The bearing 23 provided in the region of the removable end plate 12 is accommodated on an associated pivoting lever 28 which is adjacent to the end plate 12 arid is mounted on the outside of the end plate 12 such that it can be pivoted. The double pivoting lever 24 and the single pivoting lever 28 can in each case be pivoted by an associated actuating device which can best be seen from FIG. 4, here in the form of an actuating cylinder 29 to which a pressure medium can be applied and which is supported on the respectively adjacent end plate 11 or 12. The firm connection of the limbs 25 of the double pivoting lever 24, each accommodating a bearing 21 or 22, ensures that one actuating cylinder is sufficient to pivot both bearings 21 and 22.

The bearings 21 a, 22 a, 23 a assigned to the stationary roll can be incorporated in the end plates 11 and 12. In the example or which FIG. 2 is based, the bearings 21 a and 23 a are incorporated in the end plates 11 and 12, respectively. The bearing 22 a is arranged in a bearing housing 30 attached to the outside of the stationary end plate 11. Of course, the bearings 21 a and/or 23 a could also be assigned corresponding bearing housings.

As FIG. 2 further shows, the element of the side wall 7 of the folding unit upper part 2 which carries a pulling group 4 is provided in the region of each pulling group 4 accommodated with a window 31 which is assigned to the latter, is covered from the inside by the stationary end plate 11 and is open towards the outside. Therefore, the outside of the stationary end plate 11 and the units fitted to the latter are accessible from the outside via the window 31. Thus, in the example illustrated, the outer limb 25 of the double pivoting lever 24 with the bearing 22 accommodated thereon and with the actuating cylinder 29 assigned to the double pivoting lever 24 and also the bearing housing 30 with the bearing 22 a are arranged within the window 31, which not only results in good accessibility but also in a compact design.

At least one of the rolls 5, both rolls 5 of each pulling group 4 in the example illustrated, can be driven. For this purpose, in the example illustrated, a motor 32 is provided which is fitted to the outside of the element, which carries the pulling group 4, of the side wall 7 and is coupled to the shaft 16 of a roll 5. This has a drive connection to the shaft 16 of the opposite roll 5 via an intermediate gear, here in the form of a belt drive 33. The motor 32 can be accommodated on a bracket 34 fitted to the side wall 7.

As has already been mentioned, the rolls 5 are thrown with their pulling rings 17 onto one another in order to provide a pull to be exerted on a material web led through or a web pack led through. In order to avoid direct contact between the pulling rings 17 and therefore to ensure that the sensitive pulling rings 17 are cared for, a throwing-on action of this type is expediently carried out only when an associated web presence monitoring device reports the presence of a web. Accordingly, the pulling groups 4 are each assigned a web presence monitoring device, which can advantageously also be used as a web break indicator.

The actuating cylinders 29 provided to move the pivotably arranged roll 5 are constructed in such a way that a throwing-on and throwing-off movement can be produced. In order to produce a throwing-on movement, the actuating cylinders 29 are acted on with a pressure medium in the throwing-on direction, as indicated in FIG. 4 by a supply line 35 connected to a pressure medium source, not specifically illustrated. The return movement can be brought about by a return spring and/or by applying pressure to the actuating cylinders 29 in the throwing-off direction. The application of pressure can be controlled by means of a slide valve 36 arranged in the supply line 35. In the example illustrated, the slide valve is constructed as a 5/2-way valve. The pressure medium used is expediently compressed air.

The throwing-on process is expediently carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the actuating cylinders 29 provided in the region of the front and rear end of the pivotable roll 5, that is to say the actuating cylinders 29 assigned to the pivoting levers 24 and 28, are acted on with a slowly rising low pressure. The low throwing-on force produced in this way renders synchronization of the two cylinders superfluous. In addition, the mutual contact between the two rolls is carried out slowly and without a high throwing-on or pressing force, which takes care of the surface of the pulling rings 17, above all when there is still no paper between the pulling rings. The low throwing-on force is chosen such that it is able to guide a web with little force during threading. For this purpose, a proportional valve 37 arranged upstream of the slide valve 36 is provided in the supply line 35 and permits a slow build-up of pressure to any pre-selected pressure level.

In the second stage of the throwing-on movement, the two actuating cylinders 29 are acted on with a substantially higher pressure, which can be pre-selected variably on the proportional valve 37, so that the material led through between the rolls 5 can be gripped with high pressure and pulled, which permits a reliable material tension in the transport direction to be achieved. This second stage of the throwing-on movement is expediently triggered automatically by the above-mentioned web presence monitoring device as soon as the latter detects the presence of a web. The two-stage configuration of the throwing-on movement permits the rolls to be thrown onto each other with high pressure and, nevertheless, ensures gentle treatment and therefore a high lifetime of the pulling rings 17. In addition, in this way dispensing with synchronization of the two actuating cylinders 29 is benefited, which leads to a simple design.

The throwing-off movement can be triggered automatically or manually. Automatic triggering is carried out in the event of a web break by means of the web presence monitoring device. The throwing-off movement is expediently likewise carried out in two stages. For this purpose, firstly both actuating cylinders are depressurized in such a way that the pressure falls rapidly to zero. A pressure is then built up in the throwing-off direction. This pressure is again built up slowly and to a comparatively low level. This ensures that no synchronization of the two actuating cylinders 29 is needed for the throwing-off movement either.

The throwing-on movement is completed when the two rolls 5 come into mutual contact. As already mentioned, on account of the two-stage configuration of the throwing-on movement, this is possible without rapid wear of the pulling rings 17 having to be feared. It is therefore advantageously possible to dispense with a stop limiting the throwing-on movement. In this way, it is therefore possible even to press and to pull very thin material reliably. In addition, the gentle throwing-on action and the immediate throwing-off in the event of a web break contribute to caring for the pulling rings 17. The two-stage configuration of the throwing-on and/or throwing-off process is particularly expedient in conjunction with the configuration of the cantilevered pulling groups outlined above but can also be used and provide advantages independently of this.

In order to care for the bearings 21, 22, 23 of the pivotable roll 5, the throwing-on and throwing-off movement can expediently be carried out in such a way that, in each case, the throwing-on movement is carried out in the region of the double mounting, that is to say in the region of the stationary end plate 11, with a slight lead with respect to the throwing-on movement in the region of the opposite end of the roll, that is to say in the region of the removable end plate 12, and that the throwing-off movement is carried out in the region of the single mounting, that is to say in the region of the removable end plate 12, with a slight lead with respect to the throwing-off movement in the region of the double mounting, that is to say in the region of the stationary end plate 11.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

1. An apparatus for processing web material, in particular a folding unit upper part having a machine frame, and having at least one pulling group which is fitted to the machine frame, transports the web material, and is provided with rolls which are driven and thrown onto one another and which are provided with pulling rings and/or supporting rings that are accommodated on a continuous shaft, wherein the machine frame has only one side wall and wherein the rolls of the pulling group are accommodated on a carrying framework which is fitted in a cantilevered manner to an element of the one side wall and which has two end plates which are connected to each other by at least one crossmember and accommodate the rolls, wherein one of the end plates is a stationary end plate which is fixed to the element of the one side wall and the other end plate is removable from the carrying framework, wherein the rolls each include at least two bearings spaced apart from each other in an axial direction in a region of the stationary end plate and each include at least one further bearing in a region of the removable end plate.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a region of the element of the side wall, the side wall includes a window which is open towards an outside and through which a portion of the pulling group is accessible, and wherein the window is covered from an inside by the stationary end plate.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the two bearings in the region of the stationary end plate for each roll is arranged in a region of an outside of the stationary end plate.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one roll is mounted with opposing ends on respective pivoting levers which are fitted to the end plates such that the ends are pivotable and wherein the pivoting levers each interact with a respective actuating device.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a double pivoting lever is provided in the region of the stationary end plate, wherein limbs of the double pivoting lever flank the stationary end plate, wherein each limb includes one of the at least two bearings of the at least one roll, and wherein the limbs are connected by a yoke which extends through a passage defined by the stationary end plate.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the actuating devices are arranged in a region of an outside of the end plates, wherein the outsides of the end plates face away from each other.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one roll is a stationary roll and wherein at least one bearing of the at least two bearings of the stationary roll is arranged in a bearing housing attached to the stationary end plate.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both rolls are driveable by a motor which is fitted to an outside of the element of the side wall, wherein the motor is coupled to one of the rolls, and wherein an intermediate gear connects the two rolls.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shafts of the rolls are subdivided in a region adjacent to an inside of the removable end plate and wherein the shafts are detachably connected at the subdivision.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the actuating devices perform a two-stage throwing-on process of the rolls, wherein in a first stage the actuating devices are acted on with a slowly rising low pressure, and wherein in a second stage the actuating devices are acted on with a rapid increase to a higher, adjustable end pressure.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the actuating devices perform a two-stage throwing-off process of the rolls, wherein the actuating devices are depressurized in a first stage, and wherein the actuating devices are acted on with pressure in a throwing-off direction in a second stage.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an adjustable proportional valve is arranged in a pressure medium supply line assigned to the actuating devices.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the rolls are thrown onto each another until they make contact without a stop limiting the throwing-on process.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pulling group is assigned a web presence monitoring device, and wherein the actuating devices are driven in a throwing-off direction if the web material is not detected by the monitoring device.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an activation of the actuating device provided in the region of the stationary end plate is carried out with a slight lead during a throwing-on process of the rolls and, during a throwing-off process, is carried out with a slight lag with respect to the actuating device provided in the region of the removable end plate.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a 5/2-way valve is arranged in a pressure medium supply line assigned to the actuating devices,
 17. An apparatus for processing web material, comprising: a machine frame with only one side wall; and a pulling group, including a first and a second roll, and a carrying framework with a first and a second end plate, wherein the first and second rolls are disposed between the first and second end plates, and further wherein the first end plate is fixed to the carrying framework and wherein the second end plate is removably attached to the carrying framework; and wherein the carrying framework is only attached to the only one side wall of the machine frame by the fixed first end plate.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first and second rolls each include two bearings in a region of the fixed first end plate and wherein the two bearings are spaced apart from each other in an axial direction, and further wherein the first and second rolls each include a third bearing in a region of the removable second end plate.
 19. A method of performing a throwing-on and a throwing-off process for rolls of a pulling group of a folding unit upper part, comprising the steps of: performing a two-stage throwing-on process of the rolls, wherein in a first stage a low throwing-on force is provided, and wherein in a second stage a high throwing-on force is provided; and performing a two-stage throwing-off process of the rolls, wherein in a first stage an actuating device is depressurized, and wherein in a second stage a pressure is increased in the actuating device in a throwing-off direction.
 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the second stage of the throwing-on process is commenced automatically by detecting a presence of a printing material web between the rolls, and wherein the throwing-off process is commenced automatically by detecting a break in the printing material web. 